Monday, March 18, 2013

Mazurek Dąbrowskiego, II: Focus on the Future

Last week we mentioned that “John Smith,” a Polish journalist, thought
he might be able to introduce the Just Third Way and Capital Homesteading into
Poland.This is an interesting prospect,
because this writer’s first published article (in a now-defunct magazine) was
on the original proposal to privatize State-owned companies.Everything we predicted in the article came
to pass — unfortunately.

Despite the series of bungled privatizations that benefited rich
foreigners at the expense of poor Poles, there is hope: Mazurek Dąbrowskiego!The key to the whole thing is not to focus on
what was done in the past.That’s
over.As the accounting dictum has it,
“Ignore sunk costs.”The only way to
establish and maintain a just economy is to focus on the future.So, slightly edited for clarity and other
reasons, here’s the first part of the letter we sent:

Dear John:

The possibility of presenting a plan to implement Capital Homesteading
in Poland is a great opportunity.If
Poland were to move on this, it would once again move into the forefront of
world affairs.

Everything I say in this letter is necessarily general.It presents broad guidelines.Until and unless I have the chance to talk
directly with key people who can influence public opinion or legislation, we cannot
get into specifics.Once I talk to key
people, I would be in a position to advise whatever team is put together to
study the situation and develop a specific program.

That being said, the first step is to realize that we do not need to be
bound by the mistakes of the past.Yes,
Poland’s national assets were privatized in a way that benefited rich foreign
investors at the expense of the people.

Many politicians and others may not believe this, but this is not a problem.The wealth that can exist is far, far greater than the wealth that does exist — and this “future wealth” can
be created in ways that make every child, woman, and man in Poland a capital
owner.There is, in any event, an easy
way to deal with existing assets that are owned by investors outside the
country.Keep in mind, however, that the
ownership of existing assets is not
the real problem — or opportunity.Ownership of existing assets is a minor, almost peripheral issue.The key to everything is who will own future assets.